Is there any hope for someone that got duped into a TS due to false information and being mentally impaired?

My husband and I were duped into a TS by Great Destinations. I was grieving and still am after the sudden loss of my Mom due to cancer, and also I was under a lot of medication for my anxiety/panic disorder and PTSD.

We were lured to their presentation location, 70 miles away, because we had won a free vacation package. Then we get roped into sitting through a presentation showing us castles in England and the like, and that this was not a "normal timeshare, but rather a timeshare hybrid".

I was crying at the presentation on and off as I have been since my Mom passed. I've been heavily grieving, and very depressed. So they saw all that going on. I kept having to walk out. Just to be told I had to come on back in. (Shoulda grabbed my husband and said we are leaving NOW!) Of course instead, I took my medicine and mellowed out to become, in my opinion, more pliable.

We weren't shown what we were actually getting, because "it was all about the points system and that we won't want to stay at the location, we're going to want to trade in our week for points", but when it really comes down to it I now realize we just got a room that costs the same per night as our yearly maintenance fees are, so there's no advantage of being a "TS owner".

I didn't realize any of this until we got sent to collections for the fees because we were told "we wouldn't have to pay them until we used it".

We got sent to collections after I had been in the ER 3 separate times in August of this year, and had to have a procedure to remove pre-cancerous polyps. My liver is enlarged, I have mental health conditions, and stomach as well as personal issues I won't go into. I have also lost 65 pounds in a short amount of time and we are very worried about my health. I also have a laundry list of back problems and this "Inn" is by the beach which I can't even enjoy in my condition.

My husband thought he was doing something nice for our family. At least that's what they had him convinced that he was doing. I think he thought that maybe it would help me to have a vacation to look forward to, not realizing what he was actually getting into or that my health was going to take a decline. It's been a very tough 4 years since my Mom passed and we also had another family member pass due to negligence from a dr last Nov.

I'm not sure if there is any recourse for us? I have read not to hire any lawyers who charge an upfront fee. However, even the lawyer that I contacted for the dr negligence wanted a retainer.

I have tried to do a deed back and they keep giving me the run around and I get verbal yes's, but nothing in writing and if we are going to pay off the mortgage (yes my husband mortgaged the dang thing, not realizing what he was really getting into) and the past due fees for something we have never ever used and cannot use, that they will for sure do the deed back.

I had been told to write a letter to the management co of San Clemente Inn explaining the reason why we cannot use this back in June, so I did that and my husband kept calling for updates and there were none yet. Always the same thing but that it was noted in our account.

So, do we just pay it off, and hope they do the deedback? I also have a friend that is interested in taking it because he has a large family and he could make it work for him. We don't have a large family at all. So, we'd be taking a huge financial loss, but it would be to save my health, because this is making my conditions worse from all the stress it is creating. Or do we find a reputable lawyer, and fight this due to fraud, deception, and that I was mentally impaired and or incapacitated at the time of sale?

Like I said, this is causing me a huge amount of stress and anxiety to the point that it is interfering with my health. My last 3 therapy visits were me just crying over this. I've already fainted a few times (once on the phone with Great Destinations after being berated) and have been crying about this daily. It's also causing a strain on my relationship with my husband and our family in general as well.

I just don't know what to do, but I know there a lot of knowledgeable people on this forum and I'm so glad I found it. Maybe someone can point me in the right direction. We need to get this handled ASAP so I can begin to address ALL my health issues and concerns and get our lives back.

I appreciate any help or ideas and I thank you in advance.

Sincerely, Stephanie

There are numerous scenarios :

You could contact the resort and negotiate an exit . You can explain your circumstances and they may let you out due to a hardship . You could explain to them that they will get it back anyway and this may be the least costly way for them to take it back .

You could just walk away and see if they will pursue it in court or just foreclose without going after you for the back payments .

You could contact an attorney where you live and ask for advice . Many attorneys don't charge for the initial consultation .

I see no harm in contacting the resort and asking for relief . Just explain to them that because of your circumstances it would be in their best interest to work with you and take it back . Don't be afraid to talk to them . I got rid of two timeshares in 2011 that way .

Good luck and keep the discussion going here in the forum .

Thank you for your reply. I have called the GM at the San Clemente Inn, she said she has no problem taking the deed back. But my question is does she actually have the authority to do that?

Also I have contacted Great Destinations and have explained the situation to them and tried to even negotiate a pay off amount, she knocked off $100.

I have contacted VRI's inventory control and he's been trying to work with me on this, not realizing how hard it would be to just get something in writing other than an ambiguous "opportunity to deed back" email from a lady in there collections dept (since we didn't know we had to pay, as I stated the salesmen told us we didn't have to until we used it).

I don't know whether to talk to a higher up and to which company at this point? The co (Great Destinations) that sold it to us, the management co of the San Clemente Inn, or someone at the San Clemente Inn?

I did send an email to the GM at San Clemente Inn stating what's going on and that I would hate to have to get a lawyer involved, due to the stress and annoyance it would cause everyone, but I still have not received a reply back.

Yes they should have the authority to take it back . That's how I got rid of two timeshares in 2011 . It was the best decision I have made in a long time . Not only do you rid yourself of a lifetime of ever increasing maintenance fees and assessments but also the added costs of traveling every year so you don't lose your week . My bank account is very healthy not paying all those fees .

We have a friend that is ready and willing to take it off our hands as well. We would just need to pay off the loan we got duped into and the past due maintenance fees of this year, and then somehow transfer it to him, which seems like a hard thing to do without knowing what you're doing.

Anyone have any info on how you transfer a timeshare without having to spend money to have someone do it for me?

My only gripe with doing this, is that I feel we were sold this thing under false pretenses, and the fact that I was heavily medicated due to the loss of my Mom, and the mental and emotional issues that came up with that. I feel like I should file a complaint against the real estate agents that sold it to us. At least it may bring light to their shady sales practices. But then again, what do we do in the meantime? It took almost a year for the atty general to pick up a Veterinary Board complaint I did, and luckily something is being done with that, as he has hurt others animals as well. Long story short, I feel like there are consumer protection rights and when something is just so horribly rotten in Denmark, that something should be reported.

Hope that made sense.

Or should I call it a wash, and just pay it off and give it away and begin to work on my health. This has set me back from the healing that was beginning to happen, at least mentally and emotionally. Now I'm back to crying throughout the day, every day, and just feeling hopeless and extremely duped and lied to. I just don't feel that it's right that they are able to get away with this. They knew I was grieving and was even having anxiety when we were there because I kept having to step out. Ugh.

I can't believe there are people in the world that totally play off your weakest moments all for some stupid commission or whatever.

You are not alone . Read through the forums and you will see your story repeated over and over again . Timeshares are sold at a high pressure sales presentation for a reason . If they tried to sell these through advertising and marketing like other products they would go bankrupt . They spend millions of dollars perfecting their sales pitch and they are very good at it . The presentations are designed to wear you down and get you to sign the contract without researching it first .

That being said you signed a legally binding contract . The best solution in my opinion is to get it out of your name and avoid future maintenance fees and assessments . First you need to pay off the loan . I wouldn't feel comfortable giving it to anyone I know since it will become a future burden for them . If the resort will take it back then that's the way I would go.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out .

My friend is aware of the lifetime fees. It was my biggest gripe. He said he hates to see it get paid off, just for it to be given right back. He researched the place (that we weren't even shown... in fact I thought it was in northern CA because when I asked, they said, "oh you don't need to worry about that, because you'll want be to trading in your week for the points!"). Yeah right. Anyway they are cool with just going to the resort. In fact, he was like "when's the soonest we can start going?" And this is coming from my friend who researched it even more than I did. I asked him a bunch of time... "are you sure???" He has a lot of family, and we don't so that's one thing he's got going for him.

I just hate to let them get away with this. It's causing so much stress and anxiety and we haven't even used the dang thing yet! Nor can I anyway! Ugh!

How can they be allowed to get away with selling things to disabled, elderly, and emotionally unstable people!!!

I really appreciate you talking to me Don. I have been going round and round in my head. I wake with anxiety and worry about this, I go to sleep with anxiety and worry about it too. It's affecting my mental health.

It has to stop one way or another.